Cinn had to take his word for it. She was too tired to be any good to her plants. She allowed Dacian to lead her through the kitchen. He stopped at an empty table in the restaurant.

“You need to eat first.”

He pulled out a chair, and she collapsed onto it. Dacian was right. She needed food. Speaking of food…Cinn watched him set Vince on the table and then take the seat across from her before she asked her question. “How often do you have to feed?” And please don’t feel the need to go into graphic detail.

“Usually about once every few weeks. I’m old enough to go a long time between feedings. But Stephan’s attacks take a lot out of me. I always have to feed after one of them.”

She nodded. Don’t ask, don’t ask, don’t ask. She asked. “Do you drain…?” Do you drain your victims dry? Do you kill them? Do I really want you to tell me?

He leaned back in his chair, a small smile playing around his sexy lips. “I don’t ‘drain’ anyone, Cinn. I take a little from a lot of people until I’ve had enough. All I leave them with is the thought that they must be coming down with the flu because they feel a little weak.”

“Well, that’s great. I—”

“Don’t make me into something I’m not.” He wouldn’t let her think he was some kind of shining example of a ‘good’ vampire. “I take from a lot of different sources just like most vampires do nowadays. The discovery of a bunch of drained bodies would turn the spotlight directly on us. We can’t have humans thinking vampires might be real.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve killed in my time: when I was a young vampire, when Stephan first attacked me and I didn’t know what was happening, lots of times.”

“Trying to convince me you’re a murdering bastard?” Her expression was neutral.

“No, just wanted you to have a realistic view of what I am.”

Cinn nodded, but didn’t look particularly horrified. “Since I’m into personal questions, will you tell me about your scars? And yes, I want to know. And no, I don’t really have the right to expect you to answer me.” She shrugged. “Your choice whether you explain or not.”

He had a few minutes to decide what to tell her while the waitress took her order. In the end, he decided to tell her the truth.